Stuffing-box



fr ie Es "r ROSS VINANS AND THOMAS IVINANS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

STUFFINGr-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,846, dated March 26, 1861.

wtion of our invention to the piston rod of a steam cylinder, Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of the same, and Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of a compound packing brick suitable for the stuiiing box represented in Figs. l and 2.

The object of our invention is to provide an efficient means of packing piston rods and other members of machines requiring packing, that will take up but little space in the direction of the length of the rod, permit the packing to be set up with more or less force at different parts as may be re` quired, and will also permit the ready renewal of the packing as it is worn away.

To this end our invention consists in a stuiiing box which is a combination of a series of radiating sockets to receive the packing in disconnected parts, with a corresponding series of independent coinpressors, by whose action the packing in each socket can be set up with the requisite force independently of the packing in the remainder of the sockets.

In the accompanying drawing our improved stuffing box is represented as applied to the piston rod of a steam engine where it passes through the head of the steam cylinder, and the stutling box is formed on the head of the cylinder. The stuffing box in this instance consists of six sockets formed by the cylinder head, A, the cap plate B, and the wedge formed partitions shown in dotted lines at c, c, @,Fig l. These sockets radiate from the piston rod D, and are each furnished with a compressor F. The compressors are fitted to slide loosely in their respective sockets in directions radial to the piston rod, and each compressor is acted upon by a screw, g, by means of which it can be forced toward the piston rod. The screws, g, g, g, pass through lugs cast upon the cylinder heads, and have capstan heads, e, by means of which they can be readily turned. The packing which we prefer to use with this stuffing box is composed of hemp and tallow, and is formed by placing a mass of rloose hemp saturated with hot tallow in mold of proper size, and submitting it to the action of a press, by means of which the surplus tallow is pressed out and the mass caused to assume the form of a brick of a suitable size for the sockets of the stufling box.

In using aV stuffing box constructed as above described, the screws are run back from the compressors, the compressors are removed, and one of the compound packing bricks is inserted in each socket; the compressors are then replaced, and set up by the screws, so as to force the ends of the packing bricks against the piston rod withA suflicient pressure to render the packing tight. As the packing wears away at the surface of the piston rod, it is readily set up by means of the screws; and as the packing is composed of parts, each of which can be set up independently of the others by moving its respective compressor, any difference in the wear of the packing at different parts of the surface of the piston rod can be compensated by setting farthest up the part most worn, without producing any undue strain upon the remainder of the packing. Vhen any division of the packing is worn away to such an extent as to require renewal, the compressor appertaining thereto is withdrawn, and a new packing brick is inserted behind the remnant of the old packing in the socket, after which the compressor is set up again.

When our compound packing bricks are not at hand, common packing yarn, or blocks or shavings of soft metal or india rubber packing may be inserted in the sockets of the stuffing box.

Our invention is applicable to various purposes, as for example the packing of pump rods, pump plungers, the trunnions of oscillating engines and propeller shafts; as many sockets and compressors may be used as the diameter of the shaft or piston rod may make expedient for the purpose to which our invention is applied., and any mechanical means proper for forcing in the compressors and permitting their retraction may be used in place of the screws. The length of the sockets and the bricks prepared therefor may be varied to suit the varying circumstances connected with their use, among which circumstances are the longer or shorter voyages of marine engines inasmuch as it is desirable that such engines should not be required to be stopped for the renewal of packing in the stufling boxes, during the voyage. This mode of stufling box readily admits of an amount of packing being put into the packing chambers at the commencement of a voyage suflicient to meet all thel probable demands during long voyages. It is proposed in some cases to make two tiers of sockets one above the other, with only a thin plate between them, the packing bricks breaking oints the better to guard against leaking steam, or the necessity of stopping the engines during the Voyage to renew the packing. This thin division plate may be from one-eighth to onequarter of an inch thick and have its inner edge made V shaped and should stop short of the piston say inch with a View of allowing the two sets of packing to come in contact when pressed forward by the screws.

Vhat we claim as our invention-and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A stufhng boX consisting of a combination of radiating sockets with independent compressors substantially as described.

In Jtestimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.

Witnesses:

G. BECKENBAUGH, lV. S. VILKINsoN. 

